Prahaar Movie Review Roundup: Critics Praise Rajkummar Rao’s Restraint, Split on the Screenplay

Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam arrived in cinemas on October 16, and the early critical verdict is in: Rajkummar Rao’s performance is the film’s biggest strength, while the screenplay has divided reviewers.

Directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Maddock Films, Prahaar revisits the legal battle around the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks through the eyes of public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, played by Rao. The ensemble includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher, Ashish Vidyarthi and Lalit Prabhakar as Ajmal Kasab.

Bollywood Hungama awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it “a must-watch experience” and praising Rao as one of the finest talents in the business. The review singled out Lalit Prabhakar’s “outstanding” turn as Kasab — “unsettling and controlled” — along with Jaideep Ahlawat’s flawless authority, Wamiqa Gabbi’s impact in a courtroom-dominated narrative and a background score that heightens the tension. Filmfare also gave the film 4 stars, headlining its review “Courtroom Drama With a Bite” and noting the film’s 2-hour-20-minute runtime.

GG2 was more measured, rating Prahaar 3 stars for its “balanced, focused storytelling,” while singling out Prabhakar’s Kasab as the film’s standout performance — “stunningly convincing” — ahead of Rao’s steady, restrained Nikam.

On social media, first reactions were split. Several viewers gave the film 4 stars, praising the courtroom sequences and calling it “gripping, emotionally charged.” Others were harsher: some X users rated it between 1.5 and 2.5 stars, calling the storytelling dry and the pacing sluggish, with one viral thread arguing the screenplay “meanders” and the emotional stakes never reach the level the 26/11 subject deserved.

At the box office, the film opened modestly — early trade estimates put Day 1 at around ₹2–3 crore nett — but courtroom dramas in India have historically ridden word of mouth rather than opening weekends, and the divided verdict means the next few days will decide Prahaar’s fate.

All box-office figures above are trade estimates; official numbers may vary slightly.

Source: Bollywood Hungama, Filmfare, GG2, Filmibeat.